Children hide in bathroom during shooting at California home day care

CHULA VISTA, Calif. – Several children were inside a Southern California home day care during a double-shooting Monday, authorities said.

Police said the shooting happened after a man who used to live in the home tried to get inside, saying he wanted his mattress. When a woman inside the house wouldn’t let him enter, he allegedly attempted to set fire to the building and a shootout ensued, according to KSWB.

Chula Vista police received a call of a shooting at the day care in the 2100 block of Corte Condesa in the San Miguel Ranch area around 3 p.m.

The woman inside the house moved the seven children, ranging in ages from 1 to 8 years old, to a bathroom, authorities said.

The armed man fired his gun toward the woman and she returned a shot back at him, according to police. Neither shot hit anyone.

By the time police arrived, the woman was outside the house and the man was inside. Police took him into custody and freed the children from the bathroom, authorities said.

The man was taken to a hospital to be treated for cuts to his body from breaking a sliding glass door. He is expected to be charged with attempted murder, child endangerment and more offenses.